License Renewal

The Accredited CME Department is not qualified to assist or educate in the Illinois or DEA license renewal process for providers. We can provide information on the educational requirements for license renewal and resources to ensure that providers can complete those educational requirements for both licenses.

For specific questions or information regarding the process of license renewal, please reach out to the Illinois State Medical Society, your role-specific professional society, the IDFPR website, or the Medical Staff Office to confirm licensure. The next renewal deadline is July 31, 2026. The IDFPR will automatically forward a notice regarding renewal to each physician prior to the license expiration. The Department will conduct random audits of physicians for compliance with the CME requirements.

State of Illinois Continuing Medical Education Requirements for Physician License Renewal Documentation

Physicians should maintain records of their continuing medical education (CME) activities but are not required to submit documentation to IDFPR with their renewal applications. IDFPR may conduct an audit and randomly select physicians to forward evidence of CME credits. Therefore, it is important to:

  • Keep adequate records of all CME credits earned within the renewal cycle
  • Maintain a list of Category 1 (formal) CME programs and include the name of the sponsor, activity, title, date(s) of attendance, and number of credit hours earned
  • Have certificates verifying credits earned
  • Record all Category 2 (informal) CME activities
  • List the approximate number of hours spent on each type of CME activity
  • Maintain CME records for at least 1 full license cycle (3 years) after the cycle in which credits were earned

CME Requirements

Per the ISMS: For the 2026 renewal, a licensee will be required to complete 150 hours of continuing medical education (CME). Applicants renewing their medical license for the first time following issuance of a license are not required to complete the 150 hours of CME. Credits shall be earned as follows:

  • A minimum of 40% (60 hours) of the required CME hours shall be obtained in formal CME programs. The entire 150-hour requirement may be completed in Category 1.
  • A maximum of 60% (90 hours) of the required CME hours may be obtained in informal CME programs or activities.

Specific CME Coursework Requirements

In Illinois, physicians have wide latitude in deciding what CME courses they choose to complete in order to meet the 150-hour minimum. The state does, however, require physicians and other licensed healthcare professionals to complete certain issue-specific programs as part of that 150-hour minimum.

In 2023, ISMS successfully advocated for legislation allowing physicians more time to complete most of the required courses. Instead of taking certain mandated courses every licensure cycle, physicians now have the flexibility to take certain courses every other licensure cycle and the number of issue-specific mandated hours is reduced. Training on safe opioid prescribing has been reduced from three hours every licensure cycle to 1 hour every six years. Below are the mandatory CME topics for Illinois physicians:

Every Three Years:

  • Sexual Harassment Prevention (1 hour)
  • Implicit Bias (1 hour)

Every Six Years:

  • Opioids (1 hour)
  • Cultural Competency (1 hour)
  • Recognizing Dementia (1 hour) - Physicians licensed for the first time during the 2023 - 2026 licensure period must complete the dementia training once prior to renewal in 2026, and thereafter have six years to complete the training again.

Off cycle:

  • Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse

Physicians and others who are required to report child abuse or child neglect must complete an initial mandated reporter training within three months of their date of engagement in a professional or official capacity as a mandated reporter, and at least every six years thereafter if they work with children in a professional or official capacity.  This requirement is not specifically tied to the Illinois medical license renewal. At each license renewal, physicians who work with children must attest to their understanding of their role as a mandated reporter.

Medical personnel who do not work with children in their professional or official capacity are not required to undergo repeated training, and they may instead attest at each license renewal to their understanding of their mandated reporter role.

For more information on these mandated courses, visit the ISMS Licensure FAQ page.

Unconscious Bias Training

TAKE THE UNCONSCIOUS BIAS COURSE

AMA ED HUB ON DEMAND COURSES

DCFS Mandatory Reporting Training

TAKE THE DCFS MANDATORY REPORTING COURSE

ISMS COURSE

Dementia Training

TAKE THE DEMENTIA TRAINING COURSE

Cultural Competency Training

AMA Ed Hub Free Course

External Training Options

Edward-Elmhurst Health does not have the 8 hours required for DEA MATE provider training. However, there are a number of free options listed below for providers. Additionally, if providers need hours beyond what is offered to them through Edward-Elmhurst Health for licensure, the following options are available through outside institutions:

(This is not an exhaustive list. However, it may assist those looking for more hours.)

Buprenorphine Guidelines

In April 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued revised Practice Guidelines for the Administration of Buprenorphine for Treating Opioid Use Disorder (Practice Guideline). The Practice Guideline removed two longstanding requirements for obtaining a Drug Addiction Treatment Act (DATA) of 2000 waiver to treat up to 30 patients with buprenorphine for opioid use disorder (OUD): the requirement for specific training and the need for otherwise eligible clinicians to certify their ability to provide or refer for counseling or other ancillary services. This research report examines changes in clinician waiver uptake and the number of unique patients receiving buprenorphine for OUD from retail pharmacies in the early months after the Practice Guideline took effect (from June to December 2021).

MATE (Medication Access and Training Expansion) Training & DEA Requirements

The MATE Act requires increased training for DEA-registered physicians and practitioners—specifically, a one-time eight-hour training requirement on treating and managing patients with opioid or other substance use disorders. The DEA recently outlined how DEA registrants can meet the new requirements. In response, the American Medical Association has pulled together resources on the AMA EdHub to help physicians comply with those requirements before renewing or applying for DEA registration. CLICK HERE to take the AMA courses to meet the requirements.

On or after June 27, 2023, practitioners need to check a box on their online DEA registration form—whether they’re first-time registrants or renewing—attesting that they have completed eight hours of training on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders.

The MATE Act is a one-time requirement. Once training is complete, you don’t need to do so for future registration renewals.

Additional Resources for 8-hour MATE DEA Compliance:

GENERAL OPIOID TRAINING

Recommended Accredited Activities by Federal, State, or Professional Society

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Hours Offered: Up to 11 | Associated Cost: Free | Expires: Dates Vary. The CDC offers interactive training that assists providers in applying the CDC's guidelines on safe prescribing. Modules are worth 1.0 credits each, self-paced, and free of charge. 

Pain Management and Opioids CME
Hours Offered: 10 | Associated Cost: Free
The new Pain Management and Opioids modules within NEJM Knowledge + Internal Medicine Board Review and Family Medicine Board Review are offered in partnership with Boston University School of Medicine’s Safer/Competent Opioid Prescribing Education (SCOPE of Pain) program.

Illinois State Medical Society
Hours Offered: 5 | Associated Cost: Free for ISMS members. $75 for non-ISMS members. | Expires: Dates Vary
The Illinois State Medical Society offers five accredited activities worth 1 CME credit. Find them under the "ISMS CME Course" heading on the above ISMS page.

American Medical Association - Ed Hub

Listed here are CME-accredited opportunities specific to Illinois requirements from the American Medical Association (AMA), including journal-based CME activities in various specialties.

National Institute on Drug Abuse
Provided here are CME activities (various credits and expiration dates) related to opioids, including a section focused on prescribing.

REMS: Opioid and Analgesic Education
As the FDA requires, a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy has been implemented for known and potential risks related to opioids and analgesics. The program includes multiple accredited educational opportunities for providers.

Point-of-Care Naloxone Distribution in the Emergency Department: A Pilot Study
The American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (AJHP) shares the results of a study evaluating the feasibility of point-of-care (POC) distribution of naloxone in an ED.

Providers Clinical Support System
The Providers Clinical Support System offers a variety of enduring material for APPs and physicians on Opioid Use Disorders, Stigma, Recovery, and more.

DEMENTIA TRAINING

Alzheimer's Association
The Alzheimer's Association offers continuing medical education on Alzheimer's and dementia, including free CME options.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT PREVENTION

AMA Journal of Ethics
Hours Offered: 1 | Associated Cost: Free | This activity is presented and accredited by the American Medical Association (AMA).